


Coping Mechanism

by LiterallyThePresident



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Ezra is tiny, Hugs, Zeb is a good big brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 14:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6662689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiterallyThePresident/pseuds/LiterallyThePresident
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Malachor, Ezra finds a non-destructive way to deal with the guilt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coping Mechanism

Ezra had always enjoyed hugging Zeb, but after Malachor it became more of a coping mechanism.

Zeb was huge and warm and his fur was soft and Ezra could press his face against Zeb's chest and curl up as small as he possibly could and let Zeb hide him from the world for a while. Zeb's arms enveloped him completely, the large hand resting protectively at his back somewhat combating the maelstrom of self loathing in Ezra's mind.

Ezra was way too prideful to admit that he felt safest when he was ensconced in Zeb's arms. But not prideful enough to stop himself from seeking Zeb out after getting a glimpse of Kanan changing his bandages. Zeb had grown used to Ezra climbing on his lap at random times with that look on his face. The one Zeb knew meant he was lost in the throes of guilt.

It was especially a comfort to Ezra when they trudged back from a particularly dangerous mission filled with close calls. The ones that had Ezra being overprotective of Kanan and taking unnecessary risks so Kanan wouldn't have to. They'd get into the common room or their own room and Zeb would immediately pull Ezra to him, whether to reassure Ezra or himself, Ezra was never sure. They'd sit there for hours while Ezra felt the tension slowly drain from his friend, and from his own shoulders as well. It was a nice way for both of them to relax after any mission.

Zeb was always the first person he reached for after a bad nightmare, even before calling for Kanan in the Force. He'd jolt up with a gasp or a yell, head filled with images of Vader or Maul or Kanan's ruined face and Zeb was always ready for him with open arms and gruff, accented words of comfort. He'd curl up in Zeb's arms and try to vent his feelings into the Force, muttering how everything was his fault and he's sure Kanan is bitter and Rex blames him for losing Ahsoka and _it should have been him. Blindness, death, it should have been him. Not them. Not them._

That's usually when Zeb stops him, hands stroking soothingly down his back and arms and face pressed to Ezra's hair.

"Stop that." Zeb murmurs, squeezing Ezra gently. "That isn't true. None of that is true."

Ezra doesn't believe him, and Zeb knows that. But there's nothing he can do about it, and he hates the feeling. Zeb doesn't know the full extent of what Ezra and Kanan experienced on Malachor, but he knows it blinded Kanan, possibly killed Ahsoka, and put that haunted look in Ezra's eyes that no amount of hugs or meditation or words could take away.

Zeb settled back with Ezra held firmly in his arms, hating how small the boy felt. Ezra murmured something along the lines of _I should have let Maul take me_. Zeb didn't know what that meant but it didn't sound good at all. He tightened his arms around the kid, cutting off his self-destructive reverie with a squeeze.

"No ones takin' ya'. We'd chase 'im, Kanan especially would stop at nothin' to get ya' back. And then I'd bash his head in for tryin'."

Ezra didn't laugh, didn't even crack a smile. He seemed to curl himself into an even smaller ball if possible, burying his face into Zeb's chest. Zeb tried not to let his disappointment show as he rested his cheek on the kits head.

Ezra needed this, and Zeb wouldn't admit that it comforted him as well. Watching Ezra, Kanan, and Ahsoka walk away from them was harder than Zeb could have imagined. And now that he had Kanan and Ezra within arms reach again, he had no intention of leaving them alone. Especially not when his tiny, broken little brother needed him the most.

So he'd be Ezra's coping mechanism. He'd be the big brother the kit needed and look him in the eyes where Kanan couldn't anymore. He'd do everything in his power to coax the kit's smile back out onto his face where it belonged. Ezra would not destroy himself over this, not with a lasat Honor Guard watching over him.

Zeb kept Ezra close, warm, and protected through the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> I finished writing this around 5 am, please forgive any mistakes or any feelings.


End file.
